Uber Ends Self Driving Car Program in Arizona

Uber has stopped its self-driving car test program in Arizona following an accident that killed a 49-year old woman.

The ride-sharing and technology company said it would not end its self-driving car program altogether, with plans to eventually continue testing in Pittsburgh, PA and California.

In a statement sent to employees through email, Uber executive Eric Meyhofer explained that testing of its Volvo XC90 autonomous prototypes will be more limited going forward.

“When we get back on the road, we intend to drive in a much more limited way to test specific use cases in concert with our Software and Hardware development teams,” he said. “Taking this approach will allow us to continually hone the safety aspects of our software and operating procedures. We have also used the past two months to strengthen our simulation capability, which will allow us to be more efficient with our use of road miles.”

“Our return to public roads is tied to securing the proper testing permits alongside our safety improvements,” Meyhofer added. “We remain focused on our safety review, which is evaluating everything from the safety of our system to our vehicle operator training.”

According to ARS Technica, about 200 Uber employees, the vast majority of them autonomous vehicle operators, will lose their jobs as a result of this decision.

Uber’s autonomous vehicle program was put under the microscope after one of its prototypes failed to identify a 49-year old woman as she crossed the road with a bicycle. The vehicle struck the woman, who later died in hospital as a result of her injuries. A video of the incident revealed the vehicle operator was not paying attention to the road at the time of the crash.

Uber has been testing its self-driving prototypes in Pittsburgh and California since 2016.

[Source: ARS Technica]